Other than that, things went according to plan, adding CaCl, and cultures. Starting pH was 6.65 at 9:40 AM. PH was 6.55 at 11:45.

Added 45 drops (3/4 tsp.) rennet. floc time 13 minutes, so cut curd to 3/4 inch at 12:17 PM. Rested curds for 5 minutes and tried out the ol' whisk again, trying to cut to 1/4 inch. I think I was a little more successful this time, but there is still a lot of variation in curd size. Rested curds for another 5 minutes and then stirred for 10 minutes. After resting another 5 minutes and draining whey, pH was 6.51.

These curds definitely retained more moisture than the last batch. I had to work harder to get them into my 4 molds.

Probably because I press at room temperature, pH after 3 hours of pressing and flipping was 5.44, so I salted and put them away in the yeasting "room".

I'm now into my second week of washes. Should be attempting a new improved wrap method within a week.

So the thing with the 94°F is that the mesophilic slows down a bit. At 90°F they are full speed ahead -hence the pH difference.If you catch it while it's happening, you can taper down acidity by cooking the curd a bit (though this may affect texture) or by washing the curd (remove 1/3 of the whey and replace it with water). This takes away some of the acid and keeps the pH in check. If you realize that one you are done, than a good way to keep the pH in check would be to press and drain at a lower temp (such as inside the cave or yeasting room)...but if you only discovered you mad the error when it's too late and the cheese is overly acidic, then try to fix it in affinage:- let it yeast an extra day; while it may produce more lactic acid in the cheese which you don't want, it will kickstart a de-acidifying and more aggressive rind.- If at the end of 2 weeks it doesn't feel pillowy and still a bit stiff, extend the cave period with 2-3 more wash cycles.- if needed, age longer in the fridge. Acidity error in the beginning may keep this cheese still too stiff at 45 days. If this is the case, continue aging and check every 15 days. It may take as much as 90 days to get to where you want to be. If it's not the perfect Reblochon, pay attention to what you are eating because you may have created another cheese which is very good as its own thing. I wouldn't give up before 90 days are over.

I had a similar acidity issue happening a couple of months ago with one of my Reblotins. Took 65 days but yesterday it was very good. I took half of one wheel and made an awesome Tartiflette. Oh if only the wife wasn't vegetarian! Love that dish!

I guess in addition to spruce boards I need to look for some 3 pound weights like dbudge has so I can press in my "yeasting room" (AKA wine frig.) Just not enough room in there to use my current setup.

I did get them salted and put in the yeasting room at pH 5.45 or so, but that was at 3 hours after start of press. It's all good though. I have the advantage of not knowing what a real Reblochon tastes like.

Hmmm... that's a short press. If you press short and have lots of whey trapped in the cheese, it may continue to sour it, so IMHO it's better to press it more and salt it at slightly lower pH.

If you are making multiple wheels, you can just lay a cutting board on top of all the followers so it is stable, then put anything heavy on it. Cans, jugs of water, a pot full of water. Fill up the containers of milk you emptied when making the cheese. I actually have a few old dumbbells. They work well because they are very flat. A correct pressing weight should be 10-15g/cm². Assuming you have the 135mm mould, the surface will be 122.72cm², so times 15g gives you 1.84kg, which is approx 4 Lbs, so yes, 3-4 lbs per cheese would do it.

I currently balance a cutting board and put a jug with 6 pounds of weight over 2 cheeses. It's a little wobbly at first, but gets the job done. The problem is, I can't get that setup into my yeasting "room" AKA wine frig. That's why I need the smaller weights. As winter sets in, my basement will be in the mid to high 60s, so should help a little. I'll prioritize 4 hours press time next make.

Yes, it's a lot easier to balance the board on 3-4 wheels of cheese. Dumbbells are also short, flat and heavy so it would fit in a small shelf. Better yet, because they are so short it keeps the center of gravity low... doesn't rock and wobble so much.

Are you using Reblochon moulds? There is a special weight for them that I am thinking of importing from France. It fits in the round center circle on the top side of the follower. They also make these for Tomme and Saint Paulin moulds. They are just a little expensive and costly to ship from France because of their weight.

Reblochon weights! No wobble or lopsided pressing and no press needed. They are designed to go right into the center of the follower! Perfect 1800g (4 Lbs). Also works for Tomme and Saint Paulin moulds